Operation ARTHUR
by Chrys-DASL
Summary: Arthur is the one guy every girl wants, and they're willing to go to war to get him. As Sue Ellen, Francine, and other battle for his affections, can anyone really win him over? Written 2015. R&R.
1. Operation CRUSH

**OPERATION: A.R.T.H.U.R.**

CHAPTER ONE: OPERATION C.R.U.S.H.

Sue Ellen was sitting in band class, looking over the sheet music, when the thoughts suddenly began. A few rows over, Arthur and Buster we joking around like always, wasting another day of eighth grade band class to have as much fun as possible. Yet somehow, as Arthur's face flushed red and his eyes teared up from too much laughter, Sue Ellen found herself falling for Arthur. Just the sight of him made her feel feelings that she hadn't felt before.

But she wasn't alone in these feelings. Girls all around her were developing crushes for the first time, one of those girls being Francine Frensky. She'd had a crush on Arthur, her lab partner in life science, for about two weeks now, ever since he stuck out his tongue while concentrating on dissecting that frog. Francine sighed lovingly at the memory, falling into daydreams about their upcoming high school years, when they could walk up the hallway hand-in-hand and no one could say a word.

Francine had confided in Muffy about her crush, but so far, they hadn't acted on it. For one, Muffy didn't understand why she'd picked him of all people. He was shorter than most of the boys now, and his glasses were currently a little too big for his face. And though Buster, Binky, and even George were beginning to attain deep voices and facial hair, Arthur's voice still cracked and his beard was nonexistent. A boy like Arthur wasn't attractive, and knowing him, he wasn't into girls anyway.

But being a good friend, Muffy kept the secret to herself. They only talked about it after school when they met up at the Crosswire mansion to do homework and talk about celebrity gossip, something Muffy had always been into but Francine had only recently found interest in. In between celebrity stories from online, Francine would tell Muffy in a high voice about what Arthur had done that day to please her.

And now that Sue Ellen had a crush on Arthur as well, she began confiding in Jenna and Maria, her after school study partners. They were at the Elwood City Public Library in a private study room when she made the announcement. Maria was immediately happy for her. She'd already had her first crush on Alex a few months ago, but it passed quickly when she was moved from his classes when the next term began. Jenna hadn't had a crush yet, but she smiled and nodded, listening as Sue Ellen went on and on and on about Arthur.

Unlike Francine, Maria and Jenna didn't remain quiet, and Sue Ellen herself was eager to tell the world about her feelings for Arthur. So within one short day, Francine knew...and she was _furious_.

Instead of chatting about Arthur after school, Francine asked Muffy what she should do about Sue Ellen. Muffy grinned, leading her friend into her room and logging into her laptop.

Francine growled, "Why are you grinning like that? I really need your help about this," Francine demanded.

Muffy nodded, "I know, I know. I'm grinning because you have a rival. And you know what celebrities do when their rivals want the same thing as then. They start an all-out gossip war. So, know anything embarrassing about Sue Ellen that you could spread around."

"What? No, that's mean. I want her to keep away from my man, not ruin her reputation with people. I want to know how to do that. Should I write her a note? An email? Go to her house?" Francine asked.

Muffy couldn't help but laugh, "No, no, no, we have to make sure there is absolutely _no possibility_ of her getting with Arthur. You need new clothes first, maybe a new hair style. What kind of perfume are you wearing?"

"I'm not—Muffy!" Francine called as Muffy began spinning her around and looking her over.

"It's been a while since I tried to give you a makeover. You've really filled out, Francine. Wow, is that a real bra?"

"Muffy!" Francine spat.

"Right, sorry," Muffy sighed, sinking into her computer chair, "You can try your method first, but I doubt Sue Ellen is just going to back down and let you have Arthur. You and her have always been competitive people. You're competitive with sports; she's competitive with brains. You'll both be fighting with your own respective weapons for Arthur's charms. But-"

"I don't like the sound of that 'but'," Francine muttered.

"Just listen, Francine!" Muffy cried. " _But_ , I think you're going to have a bigger problem with Arthur himself. Look at his social media page. No celebrities, no bands, no nothing. He has no social life. He doesn't want a social life. He and Buster just want to play video games and hang out and eat pizza rolls all day, every day. No girl is going to ask him out and actually get the response they want."

"So how do we win him over?" Francine asked. Muffy shrugged, "I don't know, but be prepared to wait. And while you wait, you and Sue Ellen are going to be enemies, epic enemies. Remember this?" Muffy asked, popping up a viral video showcasing a Hollywood brawl. Francine nodded with a whimpering sound. "Oh, don't do that," Muffy sighed. "I don't think you and Sue Ellen will get physical, but the mental game? Oh, this is going to be good!" Muffy grinned.

Francine didn't like the satisfaction her friend was getting out of this, but she had a point. Francine had to make her point known and tell Sue Ellen to back off, but the girl probably wouldn't. Francine wasn't the only one who'd filled out a little, and Sue Ellen had already been the crush of several older boys. She didn't want them then, but now that she wanted Arthur, she likely wouldn't step aside for Francine, but it was worth a shot.

The next day, Francine went to Sue Ellen's house after school. She could hear giggling from the living room as she waited on the door step. Mrs. Armstrong answered the door, leading Francine into the den.

"...and then he asked a question in math class today. It was such a silly question, but I just...it made my heart skip a beat," Sue Ellen sighed, looking up as Francine entered the room. "Francine, I wasn't expecting you," she smiled, gesturing her mother away.

Francine gave Jenna, Maria, and Fern stern glances. Fern, still mousy and independent, grabbed her purse and darted for the bathroom. Maria and Jenna exchanged glances before moving outside. Sue Ellen and Francine were now alone. It was time for the first showdown.

"I heard you had a crush on Arthur," Francine said coldly. Sue Ellen nodded, a soft smile forming on her lips. Francine wanted that smile gone, "Well, I liked him first. If you want him, you'll have to wait for me to have him first!"

"That's not how it works, Francine. Besides, I already talked to him. He's not looking for a girlfriend right now, but-"

"You _already talked to him_?" Francine asked darkly, moving closer in a menacing way. Sue Ellen held up her hands. Francine immediately backed off. She forgot that Sue Ellen knew multiple forms of what laymen called "kung fu." Sue Ellen might be more intelligent than physical, but she could still fight. Francine glared at her, "I won't be intimidated by you. Arthur will say yes to me, and he'll be _mine_ well before he'll ever be _yours_."

"Fat chance, Frensky, but we'll see what happens. He's a boy, not a toy," Sue Ellen said. Francine ignored her, storming out of the house.

With Hurricane Francine out of the home, Jenna and Maria returned from their hiding place in the dining room. Fern returned a few minutes later with her purse, a fat mystery novel sticking out the top. Fern looked terrified, but when she saw Sue Ellen's smug grin, she knew something good had come out of that awful visit.

"Well?" Jenna asked. Sue Ellen grinned, telling her friends everything. Jenna laughed, "Wow, she doesn't know boys at all! You can't just claim them or cast a magic spell to make them like you. What an idiot!" she snickered.

Maria nodded, "And she might not even like him after tomorrow or next week. You have to enjoy the crush, not fight people to keep it yours. She's so weird!"

Fern nodded in agreement but remained silent. The girls got back to work, which included more ways that Sue Ellen still liked Arthur. He might've said no, but something was stirring inside Sue Ellen. He might've said no, and Francine might be challenging her, but Sue Ellen didn't have to give up. She just needed to try harder.


	2. Operation FASHION

CHAPTER TWO: OPERATION F.A.S.H.I.O.N

It was the weekend now, just two short days since Francine's showdown with Sue Ellen. Sure enough, when Francine talked with Arthur the next day, he told her exactly what he'd told Sue Ellen: He just wasn't interested in girls right now and he wished they'd all leave him alone.

Like Sue Ellen, Francine didn't see his rejection as an end point. But instead of embracing the crush and enjoying every moment of heart palpitations brought on by the smallest of tasks Arthur completed, she was planning on how to woo Arthur, thus keeping him out of Sue Ellen's icy grip.

As Francine entered Muffy's room that Friday, she began with the question Mary Alice Crosswire was praying to hear: "Muffy, you said something about a makeover to make me look good to Arthur?"

Muffy eagerly began looking through fashion blogs for ways to dress up Francine. She'd saved up almost a hundred dollars in chore money for a shopping trip, and now that Saturday was here, the two girls stepped into Elwood City Mall wearing sunglasses and comfortable shoes. It was shopping day.

"Oh. My. God. You would look so amazing in that shirt! And it's a low-cut v-neck, so he'll be able to see the goods," Muffy winked, shimmying as she held the red top against her chest. Red was not Muffy's color, but it was definitely Francine's. Despite the uncomfortable feeling she got when Muffy referenced her "goods," Francine threw the garment over her forearm and continued browsing through a rack of marked down shirts.

"What about this one?" Francine asked, pulling a blue top off the rack. Muffy scoffed, "That is some vomitrocious material. Ugh, made in India! Yuck!" she grimaced, slinging the hanger back on the rack before Francine could think straight. Shopping was not her thing, but Muffy was in her element-

Which allowed her to spot Sue Ellen well before Francine did. Being the drama lover that Muffy was, she remained silent as they moved to the dressing rooms to try on the few garments they'd selected. As she waited outside, Jenna sat beside her and Sue Ellen moved silently into an adjacent fitting room. Muffy smirked and began to wait.

"So, who are you here with?" Jenna asked. Muffy shrugged softly. Jenna scoffed, "Oh come on, Muffy, I know you're not resting your feet. You were practically born in this mall. My cousin sees you here multiple times a week," she said, eying the fitting room doors as one opened. It wasn't Sue Ellen appearing, however: It was Francine. Jenna nodded, a soft smirk on her face. Things were about to get juicy.

"Wow, that looks better on you than I expected," Muffy said. Francine was trying on some standard black slacks and the low-cut red shirt from before. The slacks didn't fit her at all, but the shirt fit her a little too well. Her cleavage showed, and as Francine eyed the outfit in the mirror, she could practically hear the steam whistling out of her parents' ears.

"I can't wear this. Mom would have an aneurism and Dad would have a heart attack. And I bet Bubby is already rolling over in her grave," Francine said fearfully.

Muffy scoffed, "Relax! We can have you wear it after a sleepover or something. We'll work it out," she said. The other fitting room door opened and Sue Ellen appeared. Muffy grinned, keeping her eyes on her worried friend.

"Oh my god, that shirt looks great on you!" Jenna gasped. Sue Ellen, wearing the blue shirt Muffy flung back onto the rack, stood in front of a mirror. As Jenna said, she looked stunning, and the shirt's soft lines made her endowments stand out, but not enough to make a parent dash towards an insane asylum. Sue Ellen smiled. She thought she looked _good_ , and she did.

Both girls turned away from their mirrors at the same time. Their eyes met. Sue Ellen smiled. Francine glared. It was a standoff in the middle of the changing area, and as the rivals stood there, they heard familiar laughter in the distance.

"I know, right? That was the greatest knock-knock joke I'd ever heard, and it was on a late night comedy special! And people keep telling me they're cheesy," Buster snorted. Arthur was laughing heartily as they moved towards a nearby bench, large salted pretzels in hand. They were oblivious of the four girls, who stood transfixed as they looked to each other and them.

"You should say hello, Sue Ellen," Jenna suggested. Francine immediately rushed forward, "Not before I do."

The girls pushed and shoved each other as they moved towards the store's exit. On the bench, Buster's smile faded as he noticed the scuffle. He sighed and gestured with a throw of his head what was going on. Arthur sighed heavily and followed Buster away from the area. By the time the girls reached the store's exit, they'd gotten the attention of a sales associate, and the boys were nowhere to be found.

To make matters worse, Francine had gotten a small tear in her blouse. She had to buy it now, despite how sexy it made her look—an adjective that even made her own stomach turn. Jenna left smugly without the blue shirt, deciding she was better off with her current fashions than with anything new.

In the limo back to the Crosswire mansion, Muffy eyed the shopping bag, "Well, I think she won that round," she murmured. Francine shot her a dark look. "What? Why are you glaring at me? I couldn't help you when you had your hands all over her."

"You could've told me she was in the store sooner. I know you knew, and you were talking to Jenna when I came out. I saw you so don't even try to deny it," Francine spat angrily, looking towards the window, "He looked disgusted with us. I saw him and Buster leave and he looked absolutely sick. I know he isn't into girls right now, but I really like him. I can't let Sue Ellen get him instead of me."

"He rejected her first, remember?" Muffy asked. Francine nodded softly. "So, wait. The shirt was a little big for you, so you'll grow into it. Sue Ellen didn't buy her top even though it looked amazing on her. You're both still even. You both still have exactly what you brought into this."

Francine thought about it as they arrived at the mansion. Her mother was already waiting outside to take her to a family function, which ended up giving her plenty of time to think about the situation. She and Sue Ellen were still evenly matched, and Arthur seemed equally disgusted by both of them. Sue Ellen hadn't necessarily won the battle, though Francine hadn't either. It was a stalemate, even in every way.

Across town, Arthur and Buster were playing video games in the Read house's den. Arthur was irritated at the day's events. Yes, they'd bought one of the newest Bionic Bunny video games available on the market. But they had to practically run across the mall to get away from his suitors, and Buster wasn't necessarily being sympathetic as he began making jokes about his recent pull among the ladies.

Arthur felt sick in his stomach. All he wanted to do was stay a boy—play video games, eat junk food, stay up late watching sci-fi or action flicks, and ride bikes all weekend. He didn't want to have a girlfriend, which would cause him to go on boring shopping missions, go to boring romantic movies, go to cheesy dinner dates at her house—he just wasn't ready for that kind of commitment.

And though Buster enjoyed his jokes, he noticed Arthur's irritation growing. He paused the game and looked to him. Before he could say anything, the Read family's phone rang in the foyer. Arthur was closest so he moved to answer it.

"Hello?" Arthur asked.

"Hi, is this Arthur?" a girl asked. Arthur sighed and said it was him. He felt really sick as his memory finally registered who was calling: It was Francine.

"Arthur, are you okay?" Buster asked, stepping into the front room.

As Francine spoke, Arthur threw down the phone and ran to the nearby powder room. Buster didn't follow. He knew his friend was getting sick, so he picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Buster called.

"Buster? What are you doing? I thought Arthur was on the phone!" Francine hissed.

"He was but now he's getting sick. You girls need to leave him alone before he has to miss school or something. Finals are coming up and I don't want him to have to repeat eighth grade because of a bunch of silly girls swarming after him," Buster said firmly.

"Look, I was calling to apologize. Tell him I hope he feels better, and...I won't call again," Francine whispered. Buster was glad for that as he put down the phone. Arthur returned and they continued to game as if nothing had happened.

Across town, Francine stepped back into her family function. She hated that she and Sue Ellen were making Arthur sick, but her competitive mindset had taken control. She blamed Sue Ellen for this recent turn of events, and because of this, she wanted to make Sue Ellen pay.


	3. Operation SUMMER

CHAPTER THREE: OPERATION: S.U.M.M.E.R.

Francine wanted to get Sue Ellen back, but Buster was right about finals. She was barely keeping a B in her algebra class, and since her mother found C's unacceptable, she had to study hard to make the right grade. Sue Ellen was busy with finals too, her desire for all A's keeping her busy all the way up to the final day of school. In the end, both girls made their grades, but their fight for Arthur was on hold, for now at least.

Summer hit Elwood City like a gas explosion, knocking the life out of unwatered grass and sending everyone for cover. Francine spent her lazy afternoons in Muffy's pool, floating with Muffy after brief dips to cool off. When they weren't trading celebrity gossip, Francine was wondering what Arthur was doing...and Muffy was openly scoffing at her love sick friend.

"You do know we start high school in like three months, right? Who cares what Arthur Read is doing with his summer, because high school is different. More girls, more people in general. There will be more boys there too, and you and Sue Ellen both will forget all about this guy. Arthur? Arthur who? That's what you'll be saying, Francine, and don't tell me I've got it wrong because I know I'm right," Muffy spat.

"So you've seen Elwood City High and I haven't. Who cares about more people? I won't just forget about Arthur, okay? We've been in school together for years now, and Grebe Middle had more students. Why didn't I develop a crush on Phillip like you did?"

"Phillip was a mistake," Muffy whispered fiercely, "and you promised to never bring that up again," she glared. Francine shrugged it off. Phillip was Muffy's sixth grade crush, but she didn't know him that well. He dressed in nice, fashionable clothes like she liked. But his interests were all nerd—pirates, aliens, fantasy languages, etc.—and Muffy regretted ever falling for him. In Francine's eyes, there really wasn't much of a difference.

"But there's tons of other people at Grebe Middle, weird and not weird. You fell for a weird one. I fell for Arthur. That's got to mean something, Muffy. Come on, you've watched a lot of teen dramas. Is high school really that different?" Francine asked.

Muffy scoffed, "You can't compare teen dramas to real life, Francine. You're the one who told me not to!"

"Well, I'm telling you to do it now. How are teen dramas like real life? I want like three examples or something."

"Hmm, there's always somebody trying to break up couples, even the power couples. It happens in real life, except those people who stay together for like ever like Kevin and Christina," Muffy said, referencing a couple from another elementary school that started hanging out in kindergarten. When they reached fifth grade, they became a couple, and they'd been one ever since.

"Okay, nice exception, but what else?" Francine asked.

Muffy sighed, "Well...fights are real. People do just randomly get really mad at each other or whatever and have all-out brawls in the hallway. We've had some in middle school, but it gets worse in high school."

"Alright, one more," Francine prodded. Muffy sighed again, resisting her friend's request. Francine kept pushing, threatening to splash Muffy's precious hair if she didn't come up with something soon.

"Fine," Muffy whispered. "Summer changes everything. People get taller, lose weight, gain weight, lose and gain friends—everything changes for those short months between grades, and the jump from middle school to high school only makes that gap bigger. Crushes usually fade or jump back to celebrities or something, relationships fizzle or rekindle. Everything can change in a matter of moments."

"And you think that's what is going to happen with me?" Francine asked. Muffy nodded. "Well," she said, rolling off her floating pillow and landing in the water with a soft splash, "I won't just forget about Arthur. I'll keep liking him, and if Sue Ellen keeps liking him, then she and I are entering high school as enemies. And before you say anything, I won't let this ruin our summer. We can talk about something else, but I'm still thinking about him. I have the right, you know."

Muffy kept her thoughts to herself. She still didn't get what Francine saw in him. And she was less gushy than Sue Ellen, who at least knew exactly what she seemed to like about him. Muffy hoped Francine would find someone else, and she hoped Sue Ellen would as well, but she knew not to get her hopes up.

Across town, Sue Ellen was having to hide her feelings from her friends, not because they weren't listening to her: They were at out of town. Maria was off to her grandmother's house in the country, Jenna was at a badminton camp, and Fern was at a summer camp that was meant to socialize her more, something her mother had come up with in an attempt to get Fern over her social anxiety.

These events left Sue Ellen alone with her mother while her father was off in Europe for business. Her thoughts were on Arthur, hoping that he was okay after being pestered by girls and the stress of finals. She kept Francine from her thoughts. Like Muffy, she knew that summer changed things, so she almost expected Francine to fall for someone else, especially once they met their new classmates at Elwood City High.

Sue Ellen was stuck on Arthur though. She missed seeing him in band class. She desperately wanted to see him now, but she knew to give him space. So, she wrote about him in her journal. She drew and painted pictures that reminded her of him. She read cheesy young adult romance novels, comparing herself to the characters, especially when they got together.

The girls and their classmates were off in their own worlds, separated from each other. Their feelings were changing as the hot, summer months faded by. Sue Ellen ended up more in love with Arthur than before. And so did Francine.


	4. Operation FRESHMAN

CHAPTER FOUR: OPERATION F.R.E.S.H.M.A.N.

Francine spent the night at Muffy's house the night before school started. Everything had been quiet all summer, but the girls knew that was about to change as Bailey dropped them off at busy Elwood City High. The place was swarming with teenagers, and though the girls thought they were prepared, they felt small among so many strangers.

As they stepped into the gym, they noticed Sue Ellen sitting with Maria and Jenna. All three girls had grown some during the summer, and while Francine and Muffy had attempted to wear their best outfits, Sue Ellen's beautiful dress out-shined them both. She'd grown some over the summer, Francine noticed, but she'd also gotten prettier. And judging by the way she was looking at Arthur, her feelings also hadn't faded.

Francine looked Arthur over from her spot across the gym. He'd grown a lot over the summer, a fuzzy mustache covering his upper lip. He looked lanky now, as if his body didn't fit his clothes. He was awkward, nearly falling from his seat a few times while he and Buster joked around with Alex and a few other guys. He still wasn't girl material, but Francine and Sue Ellen wanted him anyway.

When the bell rang, the gym emptied of people. Francine and Muffy headed to the second floor, where they had freshman English together. Sue Ellen and Maria entered the room soon after they did, and shortly before the tardy bell chimed, Arthur and Buster rushed in, filling the last two seats.

Arthur immediately blushed as he took a seat next to the door. He could feel Sue Ellen and Francine studying him. None of the other girls seemed to know he existed, yet these girls were hunting him. He felt like a deer during hunting season as the morning announcements chimed through the school.

"Welcome to Elwood City High School," the principal began, beginning a spiel about new rules and other school business.

While he spoke, Buster, who was forced to take a seat at the opposite side of the room, studied his surroundings. The only people he knew in the class were Arthur and the girls. Everyone else was a stranger, and though Francine and Sue Ellen were staring longingly at Arthur, no one else seemed to know he existed. Buster sighed. His poor friend didn't just had lovers, he had fangirls.

As the day went on, the three kept encountering each other—Francine had art with Sue Ellen, Sue Ellen had math with Arthur, Arthur had science with Francine—but that was the only class they all had together. Buster tried to persuade Arthur to change schedules, but he felt that would make things worse. He just had to ignore them. Despite his visual changes, his personality and mindset on girls hadn't changed. He enjoyed his boyhood and he'd make it last as long as possible.

Sue Ellen and Francine were determined to change that. It was a battle for them where everything was a weapon. Clothes, intelligence, service—Francine and Sue Ellen were focused not just on being the best at everything but being better than the other girl.

And then, it happened. Two months had passed, and for this entire long eternity, all Francine wanted to talk about was Arthur or Sue Ellen. Muffy had heard all she could hear about both of them. When Francine showed up after softball practice one afternoon, Muffy had Bailey deliver a message: 'Until you get your mind straight, we're done.'

Francine begged to get inside, and Bailey, not wanting to get involved, allowed her inside. Muffy was in her bedroom on her laptop, browsing celebrity gossip sites while talking on the phone. When Francine barged into the room, Muffy threw the phone towards the window in fear.

"Who were you talking to? And what is this?" Francine asked, tossing her note onto the floor. Muffy glared as she grabbed her phone from the floor. Not only was it still in tact, the call was still in progress.

"Hey, do you mind if I call you back? Something just barged into my room. No, no, it's probably one of Mother's cats, but I better go check," Muffy smiled. She pressed a button on her phone and tossed it onto the bed. Her face changed in this moment from a courteous smile to a glare of pure anger, "How _dare you_ barge into _my house_!" Muffy exclaimed.

"Then explain yourself! What did I do to you anyway?" Francine asked with a booming voice, her tone vicious in nature.

Muffy shifted her weight and crossed her arms, "You know _exactly_ what I'm mad about. All you can ever talk about is what Arthur is doing, what you're doing to one-up Sue Ellen—you never want to hang out with _me_ anymore! Until you change your ways, we're done!

"And for your information, I was talking to Jenna. She's taking off of sports her freshman year, and we learned in my math class that she's into celebrity gossip too," Muffy grinned.

Francine wasn't smiling. In her eyes, Jenna was an ally of Sue Ellen and not to be trusted. To Muffy, she just wanted a friend, but Francine was not accepting of her choices, "You can't talk to her! What if she tells Sue Ellen my plans? What if-?"

"She's just as sick of this crap as I am," Muffy interrupted. "Both of you have _lost. it,_ " Muffy enunciated. "Until you both stop being so crazy, we're hanging out with other people. I want to talk to Jenna. She's fun like you used to be. I like fun. I like celebrity gossip and fashion and any conversation topic that's not about Arthur Read or Sue Ellen Armstrong."

"Fine, we'll talk about something else. Who's in the news today?" Francine asked, moving towards Muffy's laptop. Muffy closed the cover and shook her head. "What? I thought that's what you wanted."

"You have to prove yourself to me, Francine. Swear him away. Tell me you're going to let go," Muffy said firmly.

"Why do I have to let go? I just have to wait for him, and while I'm waiting, I have to keep Sue Ellen from-"

"Shut up!" Muffy screamed. "Do you even hear yourself? You are trying to persuade a boy into loving you. You can persuade a dog or a cat or even a _fish_ into loving you, but a boy is an independent person. Move on! Get over yourselves!"

"I thought you supported me," Francine whispered. "I thought we were friends."

"We are, but I'm sorry, I don't do crazy," Muffy said firmly. "Now, why don't you go figure yourself out or something, then we'll talk," Muffy suggested.

Francine was hurt, but Muffy was right. Arthur had driven her crazy. She couldn't convince him to like her, and who knows what she was missing out on by only focusing on him.

Across town, Sue Ellen was having the same revelation thanks to Fern. Sue Ellen had been overly focused on her fashion and grades since starting high school, and though she had plenty of boys wanting to be with her, none were Arthur, so she'd rejected them all. Now, she realized how ridiculous that was because Fern accused her of not living enough.

So they both entered school the next week with the intention of letting go of Arthur entirely in an attempt to move on with their lives. They entered Elwood City High with their respective friends like always.

But as Sue Ellen and Francine and their friends entered the gym, they couldn't help but notice Arthur with another girl: Prunella.


	5. Operation BREAKUP

CHAPTER FIVE: OPERATION B.R.E.A.K.U.P.

Sue Ellen and Francine stood with their mouths open as Prunella and Arthur sat side by side on the bleachers. Their fed up friends moved them away from the area, trying to keep them preoccupied with real world issues like homework, celebrity gossip, projects, etc.

But Sue Ellen and Francine were too shocked to register anything their friends said. Arthur, the boy who claimed he wasn't ready for girls less than six months ago, was now the boyfriend of not just any girl, but an _older_ girl! The girls were furious. Their fighting with each other kept them from seeing them growing closer, hadn't it?

The girls tried to think. Where did Arthur go after school? Who did he hang out with? Francine grabbed Muffy's phone, saying she was looking up celebrity news, when she was really looking at Arthur's social media pages. They were still as desolate as they were before. Wherever he met Prunella, it was in person and required no public announcements.

Sue Ellen checked for the same information on her own phone. She kept her head down for a long time, causing Fern to glare at her. Maria didn't look particularly thrilled as the first bell rang.

"Great, another morning wasted because of lover girl," Maria scoffed. "Don't forget my ultimatum. I can make plenty of friends here that won't load me down with their personal crap."

"Pfft, friends!" Fern huffed, moving with Maria to join the herd. They were out of sight within mere seconds, but Sue Ellen walked slowly. She was devastated. Someone else had won the man she wanted. She almost burst into tears as she moved slowly with the herd of high schoolers trying to get to class.

But as she moved through the swarm of people, she managed to get closer to Arthur, Buster, and Prunella. When she looked at hand-level, she noticed something:

Prunella's hand was on Buster's!

Sue Ellen smiled. She was so happy now that she realized Arthur wasn't her target. She must've sat close to him because of all of the other people filling the gym. How could someone as logical as Sue Ellen make such an illogical assumption?

A few people over in the crowd, a depressed Francine was too withdrawn to notice this update. Sue Ellen, feeling her urges of war come again, made her way over to Buster. When Arthur saw her, he darted away. Prunella noticed and gave Sue Ellen a hateful look.

"I'm not here for Arthur," Sue Ellen sighed. "I wanted to tell you that we thought you were with him," Sue Ellen said to Prunella. Buster gave her a perplexed look. "I know, I see you're together now. But she doesn't know that. I'll leave him be, but maybe you should keep the image up for Francine. You know she's more competitive than I am."

"Well that's debatable, but if you were both so silly to think I'd date a boy like Arthur, we'll keep it up, if Buster agrees," Prunella smiled. Buster shrugged, "Hey, if it keeps her away from Arthur for two seconds, I'm in. Wait, are you just doing this to be mean?" Buster asked, eying Sue Ellen carefully.

She sighed, "Yes, but...we need to stop this. My friends are mad at me, and I know Muffy has to be fed up with Francine by now. We need to move on, and-"

But the crowd shifted, pulling them too far apart. They were going to the same classroom still, but Elwood City High was very crowded, making journeys to one's classes difficult even on the best days. By the time they crossed paths again, they were in English class. Sue Ellen took her seat, trying her hardest to look as sad and angry as possible.

It worked. Francine stared out the window, her pen barely moving despite the teacher's furious lecturing. Sue Ellen felt more and more smug as the class went on. She couldn't help but feel smug after what she did.

But as the day went on, she felt guilty. Prunella had taken to heart Sue Ellen's advise and spent her day posting selfies of the two of them all over her account. Muffy kept Francine updated, killing her mood but proving Muffy's points fully. As Sue Ellen saw this, she realized she'd likely made a mistake, and she had to right it.

That afternoon, Sue Ellen was buying sub sandwiches for her family when Francine entered the shop. Sue Ellen waved to her, but Francine stayed back...at first. As the two waited for the sandwich makers to fill their order, they sat together.

"So, how do you feel about his choice?" Francine asked with a melancholy tone. Sue Ellen sighed and Francine eyed her carefully. She rose up, a fire in her eyes, "You know something. Did you put them up to this?!"

"You and I both know we can't pick who he ends up with," Sue Ellen scoffed, exhaling softly, "but we were both tricked this morning. Prunella was holding hands with Buster—he's with her, not Arthur. But I told them to keep it up so you and I could move on. I didn't know she was going to post all of those pictures."

"I can't believe you put them up to that! Why didn't you just-?" Francine stopped. Sue Ellen didn't have to tell Francine anything. In fact, she was lucky they were even talking to each other at all long enough to learn this much. Francine eyed her coldly, "You need to tell her to stop, then we need to stay away from each other for a long, long time."

"And Arthur too. We've got to stop this. He can make his own choices, and the way it looks, he'll never pick. He might not start liking girls until college for all we know. We've got to move on and date other people. There's a boy in one of your classes who likes you," Sue Ellen smiled as her number was called.

Francine shrugged, "You've got a few suitors yourself."

They left the sandwich shop as allies, at least it felt that way. After dinner, Francine texted Muffy about the situation, but Muffy wanted to talk about celebrity gossip. Francine decided to go along with it to be a good friend, but she wanted Muffy's input on this new alliance.

Across town, Sue Ellen had the same problem. Fern was unavailable, her status reading "Muse attack!" Jenna was at a family function with her parents, so she was unavailable. And Maria was gaming again, her love for the console starting while she was at her grandparents' house over the summer.

Sue Ellen was alone, her thoughts filled with Arthur. How could she let that little awkward boy go? What if no one ever fell for him again after Sue Ellen and Francine? She stared at his old yearbook picture, trying to daydream about a day when they could be together, when her phone buzzed.

'Hey, is this Sue Ellen?'

Maria had given her number to the boy Francine mentioned the day before. Sue Ellen replied and talked to him. He seemed nice enough, and even though she didn't want to let go of Arthur, she knew she needed to.

After an hour of texting, she agreed to a movie date with him the following night. They'd spend time together at school the next day and "go out." He'd be Sue Ellen's first boyfriend but her heart wasn't for them. Truly, she barely even knew his name.


	6. Operation REKINDLE

CHAPTER SIX: OPERATION R.E.K.I.N.D.L.E.

Sue Ellen was two weeks into her relationship when he broke up with her. Sue Ellen was distant, her mind still on Arthur. She spent time with the boy—Jacob—and his friend circle. But they just didn't click. She didn't even mind being dumped.

Francine, on the other hand, was still single and still very much attached to Arthur. She didn't like knowing that he wanted nothing to do with them, that he didn't want to date like the other boys did. Even Buster had a girlfriend, even though their relationship didn't last either. Either way, if Buster could have a girlfriend, Arthur _should_ have a girlfriend too.

One thing made this worse. Mere days after Sue Ellen's breakup, she decided to have lunch with Maria and Jenna again. Maria was on her cellphone, playing some online game that had come out in recent weeks. Sue Ellen eyed her screen carefully. She wasn't playing the game by herself. A few others were playing, one of which had a familiar-looking avatar.

"You see what she's into now, don't you?" Jenna grinned. Sue Ellen nodded as Maria rotated the phone around. She began to explain the game, but both Jenna and Sue Ellen weren't interested, and Maria quickly noticed this.

"Okay, so why are you so interested if you don't want to know how it works?" Maria asked coldly. Sue Ellen pointed to the avatars of the other players. Maria smiled, "Oh, you noticed those. Yeah, I'm playing with other people. This is Olivia from Italy. I think her parents are American because she speaks perfect English-"

"I want to know who that is," Sue Ellen said, pointing to one distinct avatar. Maria gave her a look. "What? I just want to know the answer, not start trouble."

"Fine," Maria sighed. "It's Arthur's avatar. He doesn't play often though so don't get your hopes up. He likes console games better," Maria grinned. Sue Ellen thought for a moment and remembered Maria's love for console-based video games. And if she knew Arthur's playing preferences, that meant-

"How long have you been playing with him?" Sue Ellen asked. Maria shrugged, "I guess since this summer. He was on all the time, even late at night sometimes. He didn't realize who I was until he got his headset fixed. We have a lot of fun on there," Maria smiled.

But Sue Ellen wasn't smiling. How come she got to be so close to Arthur? Sue Ellen couldn't even be in the same room with him without him squirming, running away, or avoiding her completely. Sue Ellen was jealous, and her feelings for Arthur that were semi-dormant during her short relationship with Jacob returned full-forced. And a quick text made Francine aware of the situation too.

Despite their differences, Francine and Sue Ellen met after school at Francine's apartment. Francine wanted to know directly from Sue Ellen the truth about Maria's relationship with Arthur. Sue Ellen didn't know much, but if they'd been playing together that long, then something could very well be going on.

"I can't believe this," Francine scoffed. "I mean, Maria, really? Can't he do better than her? We're both smarter than her, and you're at least prettier than her. What does she have that we don't?"

"A video game console apparently, but I don't know which one he plays on," Sue Ellen replied darkly. Francine looked stunned, "There are different consoles?" she asked. Sue Ellen nodded. Francine groaned loudly, "I can't believe this! We need to get one, or at least ask Muffy if she has one. We need to go on there and make sure he doesn't end up with her."

So, Sue Ellen followed Francine to Muffy's house. She greeted them in her mother's spa room, a masseuse rubbing away at Ed Crosswire's knotted shoulders. Muffy was sitting in a comfortable chair, her feet being worked on by a small Asian woman. When she saw Sue Ellen standing behind Francine, she immediately shooed the woman away.

"What are you two doing here _together_?" Muffy asked firmly. Francine explained with very few details that she wanted to play video games with Sue Ellen. Muffy nodded to them, but she didn't believe them, "So, you're going to try to play games with Arthur, huh?" she asked.

"Well-"

"Say no more, Sue Ellen," Muffy growled. "I want you both out. You both need to forget about him. Completely, one hundred percent. I never want to hear his name again!" Muffy exclaimed, forcing them out of the room. Bailey met them in the hallway and escorted them to the door.

Once outside, Francine sighed heavily, "I figured she'd know as soon as she saw you. I thought she'd be happy that we're working together on this. I mean, I still want him more than you do-"

"And I want him more than you do," Sue Ellen interrupted.

"But if we both keep other girls away from Arthur, we could have a chance again," Francine smiled, "and then we'll worry about who deserves him more."

"Agreed, but we don't even know if Maria and him will end up together. It's not like that have much in common other than video games, and she can be pretty annoying sometimes," Sue Ellen whispered, remembering when Maria got really into a punk rock band, practically shoving their pathetic music down her throat.

Francine sighed, "Well, we need to do something. I couldn't live with myself if I let her have him. We have to find a way to keep them apart, but you're the only one who knows her well enough. Do you think you can come up with something and get back to me?" Francine questioned. Sue Ellen agreed and began walking home on her own, but she had no idea what to do to keep Maria away from him. And Maria was a long-time friend. Should she really keep her from getting her first boyfriend?

'Well, yours wasn't much, and it didn't last long either,' Sue Ellen thought as she arrived at her house. She moved into her room, trying to think of answers while her desktop booted up. As she logged into her email to check her multiple online accounts, her pocket buzzed to life as her phone was flooded with messages.

But her inbox told her what she needed to know:

Maria and Arthur were now a couple.


	7. Operation FURIOUS

CHAPTER SEVEN: OPERATION F.U.R.I.O.U.S.

Sue Ellen was extremely upset with Maria's decision. Why didn't she say anything sooner? And now that they were together, why wasn't she explaining the situation? Who asked whom? Did Arthur approach her or did she approach Arthur? Sue Ellen wanted answers _now_ , but no one was speaking to her...except Francine.

Sue Ellen was stunned at this recent turn of events. She kneaded her forehead, a stress headache growing behind her eyes. Mere weeks ago, Francine and Sue Ellen were sworn enemies, and they each had their respective friend groups. Now it seemed that Sue Ellen's friend Maria was really the enemy, making Francine her ally. Sue Ellen could be sick as this realization swept over her.

As she sat at her desk, trying to make sense of this new development, her mother knocked on her door. It opened, and standing in the hallway was Maria. She stepped inside without a word, closing the door behind her. Sue Ellen eyed her as she sank onto the foot of the bed.

"Why are you here?" Sue Ellen asked dully. Maria smiled, putting her phone away. "Why are you smiling?"

"You look so mad for no reason," Maria grinned. "Look, Buster told him to ask me, and he told me to say yes. He thinks that if Arthur appears to be in a happy relationship, you two will quit staring at Arthur like he's a t-bone steak. I agreed because you two are really flippin' crazy, okay? But it's just a trial thing. If you two back off and realize that other people in the world exist, we'll break it off. If you two go ape-crap-crazy and do something stupid, we'll stay together out of spite. It's not like either of us really want a boyfriend or a girlfriend," Maria said firmly.

"And all of this was Buster's idea?" Sue Ellen asked. Maria nodded, and Sue Ellen couldn't help but scoff, "Well, that's why this is such a stupid idea. Why would you go along with something so crazy?"

"Because I'm sick of you being this way," Maria replied firmly. "And I'm sure Muffy is sick of Francine's crap two. You've both lost it over a pathetic boy. All he wants to do is play video games and be left alone. That's it! He doesn't want to be tied down to some demanding harpies who are willing to tear each other apart for his love. He just wants companionship. In fact, he said if this wasn't Buster's plan, we might've ended up together on our own. We click, but he doesn't want the girlfriend experience."

"How does he even know what it'd be like dating me or Francine?" Sue Ellen asked. Maria shrugged, "He doesn't, really, but with the way you two act outside of a working relationship, I don't blame him for not taking his chances."

Sue Ellen looked Maria over, "I think you're trying to make a point by doing this."

Maria laughed, "What do you think? I'm sick of this crap. Jenna, Fern, and I are really considering just cutting you loose. It's not like you have much to offer anymore. If it doesn't involve Arthur, you're not interested, so well, we're not that interested in you anymore. You've become dull and stupid all over a pathetic boy. Think about it, Sue Ellen. You have your options now: Give him up or lose your entire past. If you want to pretty much find a new life in the middle of high school, that's your problem, but I'm done."

Maria left then, practically storming out of the Armstrong house. Sue Ellen watched her go through the window. She and Francine had completely lost it over the past year or so, but crushes did that to people. If Sue Ellen's friends didn't care that she was getting older and doing what normal girls did, then she didn't mind letting them go.

Across town, an angry Francine was repeatedly trying to call Muffy. After multiple failed attempts, she finally got an email from Muffy. Like Maria and the others did to Sue Ellen, Muffy had an ultimatum planned. Francine had to stop this nonsense or Muffy was done.

"You care so little about my feelings," Francine spat. "In fact, I bet you never cared about me at all!" she hissed at the computer screen. She typed up a vicious response and hit send without even reading it.

Francine felt the same way as Sue Ellen: If her lifelong friends couldn't understand her feelings, they could easily do without her. She'd find new friends easily. She always had, she always will.

So when the day ended, Francine and Sue Ellen sat alone in their respective bedrooms friendless, and neither of them particularly cared.


	8. Operation FRIENDSHIP

CHAPTER EIGHT: OPERATION F.R.I.E.N.D.S.H.I.P.

Sue Ellen spent her days entirely enthralled with her studies. They were reading Shakespeare in her English class, so she checked out a few of his plays from the library and began the laborious task of reading them without the help of a trusted teacher. She took avid notes, eagerly flipping through the semi-foreign text. She honestly did have no idea what was going on, especially in one of the histories she checked out, but it was better than focusing on Maria walking hand-in-hand with Arthur through every hallway.

Francine focused on her athleticism, spending her free time outside of soccer practice working out or following the sport online. She was sick of Maria the Show Off prancing around Elwood City High with Arthur too, and she was even more sick of Muffy giving her the cold shoulder around every corner. Her email hadn't gone over well, and Muffy was demanding an apology. In Francine's eyes, she owed nobody anything, so she stayed focused on her sports.

But both girls needed to talk to someone, and that weekend, they decided to meet up with each other at a new book store opening in the mall. They waited in line for the grand opening party, both of them hoping to get one of the cute grab bags they were giving away to the first one hundred customers, as well as one of the cool titles they were giving away inside the store.

As the line began to move, Francine noticed that Muffy, Maria, and Arthur were at the front of the line together. She huffed to herself, staring at the wall beside her. Sue Ellen noticed her demeanor changed and she looked up the line to see what was going on. By then, the three were inside the store, and Francine was growing restless.

"Hey, I think we're too far back to get anything good. Why don't we just go home? There's a game on. You can stay at my house to watch it with me," Francine offered.

"I don't know why you're so upset. There probably aren't even a hundred people here, and I don't see what got you so worked up," Sue Ellen whispered. As soon as she spoke, Maria manifested inside the store window, pulling Arthur around the display shelves inside the store. Sue Ellen swallowed, "Oh, I see. You know, maybe you're right. It's up to you though. I mean, I at least want to get one of those bags, but we can go home right after."

"That sounds good," Francine agreed, looking ill. Sue Ellen tried to comfort her, but she was feeling a mix of nervous and sick as well.

The line inched forward, and just Sue Ellen thought, they were well within the one hundred customer limit. She and Francine snatched up their bags and left the line without even going into the store.

Once at Francine's apartment, she flipped on the television. A soccer game was on, but the channel was only available in Spanish. The two snacked on chips and popcorn, sipping soda while they attempted to translate the commentary. Neither knew much Spanish, so they made up their own translations, making each other laugh.

After hours together, Sue Ellen realized she was wrong to push Francine away all these years. Yes, she was competitive, but she could be fun too. And since she understood Sue Ellen's love problems, they were almost like best friends at first sight.

As she walked home, she got a text from Francine. She'd had the same realization, and since they'd had such a fun Saturday together, she wondered if they could meet up on Sunday to study together.

So, as their outside choices dwindled, Sue Ellen and Francine realized the best thing for them was to unite and wait together for Arthur to be free again, all while their friends did as they pleased. Muffy spent more and more time with Maria and Jenna, and Fern was coming out of her shell more often as well. They looked like the perfect little Lakewood clique, especially when they joined up with Buster, Arthur, and Alex.

Francine and Sue Ellen would have to find their own group. The next week, Francine was paired with a girl named Holly in her science class for a project, and Holly was best friends with a girl named Becca. Both mixed well with Sue Ellen, so now they had two more friends.

Then Sue Ellen reconnected with Molly in the library. Molly was still good friends with Rattles, Binky, and Slink, who introduced the other girls to an awesome local arcade. This now larger group had quite a bit of fun together, and they studied well together too. So, they became fast friends, getting acclimated to this new high school war zone easier than they expected.


	9. Operation DANCE

CHAPTER NINE: OPERATION D.A.N.C.E.

With their new friend group in tact, Francine and Sue Ellen seemed to make strides towards recovery. They had to ignore their old friends completely, but seeing that none of them empathized with their predicament, they could care less about those past acquaintances fading away. Sue Ellen was just upset that Maria and Jenna had a few of her books, just as Francine was mad that Muffy had one of her favorite hockey jerseys, but the girls would get over this. They had a new life to begin with their new friends, and they planned to live life to the fullest.

The school year pushed on, and as spring neared, posters about an upcoming boy/girl dance began to cover bulletin boards throughout Elwood City High. Francine eyed them carefully, wondering if she and the group should go. Before she could even ask, Molly and Sue Ellen sat down with Becca and Holly, a dress magazine between them.

"Okay, so the boys are completely uninterested, but I was thinking we could all go on our own," Sue Ellen squealed, pushing the magazine towards Francine, "And I'm going to make this dress in my sewing class."

"And I'll be making this one," Holly pointed, the red dress in the picture sparkling on the page. Francine was stunned as she looked over the pages.

"Information overload!" Becca grinned. "Okay, how do you feel about the dance? We can talk about dresses in a minute because you look totally overwhelmed right now," Becca laughed.

"Yeah, I am overwhelmed," Francine admitted. "I'd love to go to a dance, but one of these dresses? There are more, right?"

"You don't even have to wear a dress. I'm going to wear a denim suit of my mom's. Well, it needs some work to save it from the eighties," Molly grinned, "but if Sue Ellen and Holly think I can get away with it, then we can find something else for you too. I want us to all look amazing, and when the boys ask us to dance, we'll ignore them," Molly said.

Holly giggled, "This is going to be epic, Francine. Come on, we'll work something out for you," she said as the bell rang overhead. Sue Ellen finished her sentence for her, "After class though. Come on, let's get moving."

A few days passed, but Francine was still unsure of what she'd wear. To be honest, Muffy usually decided these things for her, even if they made Francine very unhappy in the end. She trusted Sue Ellen and the other girls to make the right decision for her, but these girls were less power-hungry. Francine would have to make the final decision on her own, and she honestly didn't know if she could do that.

The week before the dance, Sue Ellen and Francine followed Holly to Becca's house, where they would leave from to go shopping at Elwood City's mall. Francine was obviously nervous, and Sue Ellen was trying to take her mind off of the dance by discussing a baseball game she'd watched the night before. Francine had seen it too with her father, but she just couldn't think about sports right now. In fact, she almost felt sick as they rang the doorbell.

Becca answered, her mom, a trained opera singer, singing in the background. Sue Ellen smiled, stepping into the cultured home and taking a seat in their den. Francine chose the remain standing beside the couch, eying the trinkets on the wall and trying to imagine she was in the exotic places they'd come from.

"Okay, Francine, we know you're having a hard time deciding," Holly said, tapping her arm to get her attention, "and Becca and I have come up with a solution. Pick one of us. We'll tell you exactly what to wear, but you still get a choice because of who you're going to pick," she grinned.

"Um...give me a hint about what you're planning first," Francine stammered.

"Well, I am in love with hot fashion trends right now. I also love the color red, so my outfit will probably be a red number in a familiar yet trending style," Holly said.

Becca went next, "I want your outfit to be relaxing yet feminine. I haven't decided the entire thing yet, but it won't be so girly that you puke up glitter for weeks," she laughed. Francine grinned too and turned to Sue Ellen.

"Oh, I wasn't a part of this, but I can come up with something. I know you don't like anything too revealing, but you want to be fashionable when you can. I want us both to look amazing at the dance, just so we can be really happy," Sue Ellen smiled.

Molly wanted to stay out of this, barely trusting her own fashion instincts. The girls piled into Becca's mother's minivan and headed towards the mall. Sue Ellen and Holly namely needed sewing supplies, but after searching around, they found something for Francine as well. All she had to do was pick the person she trusted the most.

Because Francine knew her the best, she decided to pick Sue Ellen. She picked out a yellow dress and had her try it on. Holly and Becca were nervous, both of them being unable to wear yellow ensembles at all. But when Francine emerged...

"Oh my god, you look gorgeous!" Holly squealed, squeezing Sue Ellen's arm. "You should totally be a fashion designer one day, or at least one of those people who tells celebrities what to wear," she grinned.

Francine was so happy with the choice, and it was within her budget. So, the girls left the mall with their finds, eager to attend the dance the following week. And they were happy to go on their own too, setting them apart from their classmates, many of whom suffered from tantrums the week before due to a lack of dates.

When the day came, Sue Ellen's mother drove the girls to Elwood City High. The girls walked into the gym, looking over the crowd. Not many people had actually showed up, but in the middle of the dance floor, there were several familiar faces jamming to the beat.

The tallest person on the floor was Prunella, who was dancing with an older male classmate. Nearby, Buster was dancing with Maria while Arthur stood nearby getting punch. Francine and Sue Ellen exchanged glances as they claimed a spot along the wall.

"So, did he come with Maria or did Buster come with her?" Sue Ellen whispered. Francine shrugged, watching the two leave the dance floor as the song changed. Becca and Holly moved quickly to the dance floor, and after grabbing a snack, Molly joined them as well. Francine and Sue Ellen maintained their positions, eying the crowd.

"I don't think she's with him anymore," Francine noted, seeing Buster and Maria holding hands as they took a spot in the bleachers. They were sitting very close as well, too close.

"Hey, there's Fern and Muffy," Sue Ellen said, watching as they darted across the floor. When they got to the group, Arthur stood, his arms stretched for a hug. Sue Ellen and Francine watched, nearly holding their breath, as the recipient extended her arms...

"Muffy?!" Francine cried. "Are those two dating now?"

"She would do something like that," Sue Ellen scowled.

On the dance floor, their friends noticed their anguish and dragged them onto the floor. This night was about their friendship, not some stupid boy. Sue Ellen and Francine internally disagreed, exchanging glances as they began to dance. Arthur was important to them, and if he was with Muffy now, they deserved to know.

But the night concluded without any real information, and with the end of the school year nearing, the girls needed to focus on their studies and not petty gossip. The evidence was clear though, and as the students departed Elwood City High for summer vacation, one thing was very clear: Muffy and Arthur were definitely an item.


	10. Operation ETM

CHAPTER TEN: OPERATION E.T.M.

Francine felt completely betrayed, but there was nothing she could do. Sue Ellen felt her pain as the two went to The Sugar Bowl for a post-dance snack. They felt completely deflated compared to earlier in the evening, and both wondered if everything had been a mistake.

"What do you want to do?" Sue Ellen asked. Francine shook her head, taking a huge bite of her banana split. Sue Ellen put down her spoon and looked Francine dead in the eye. Francine locked eyes back, still chewing a large piece of banana. Sue Ellen sighed, "I have an idea, but it's...it's going to be hard for both of us."

"What?" Francine said, her voice muffled by the banana piece.

Sue Ellen took a deep breath, "Maybe we should just end this. Arthur is worth our time, but he obviously has an agenda that doesn't include either of us. All we're going to keep doing is eating ourselves into obesity, and I just can't keep dealing with this emotional roller coaster. Our grades are suffering, our friendships are suffering, and our lives aren't getting any easier. We need one last operation to end it all: Operation End The Madness."

"We should just give up, just like that?" Francine asked. Sue Ellen nodded firmly. Francine slammed her spoon down on the table, "Why do we have to give up? We can still win him! Muffy is easy to defeat-"

"Then he'll find someone else. We just have to accept that neither of us are ever going to get close to him. The best thing we can do is work on ourselves for the next few years, find someone better, and make him regret ever putting either of us through this," Sue Ellen grinned deviously.

Francine smirked, "I thought your idea was stupid at first, but I see your point now. If we end this, we can become better people than all of those girls. We'll get even better guys than Arthur and make them all jealous! But...what if we both really do still like Arthur deep down?"

"No one ever gets completely over their first crush," Sue Ellen said, adding quickly, "but I only read that in a magazine. We could ask our mothers or something, but I think it's true. We'll never forget the first person that made us feel this way. But right now, we both need to semi-forget. We've got to move on and end the madness. Can you do it?"

"Only if you help me, because I'm really going to need it," Francine smiled.

Suddenly their mission to binge-eat The Sugar Bowl out of business felt too taxing, and both of them returned home. The internet was buzzing with gossip about the new happy couple, but Francine and Sue Ellen ignored it completely. Both turned off their phones and computers and did the right thing—they went straight to bed.

When the next morning arrived, the girls realized that this was finally their first successful mission. Instead of living and breathing Arthur Read, they focused on life again. Things had changed so much since all of this started, and so much time had passed. They'd made new friends in the process and new memories too. They had to keep it up and make more new memories, so they arranged to go out with the girls to another grand opening at the mall.

This adventure wasn't ruined by petty drama. Though Muffy was there parading Arthur around like a trophy boyfriend, the girls focused solely on their friends and their desire to have a wonderful time at the mall.

Muffy noticed the change in the girls. She could see they were interested, but they weren't fixated like they were before. As the days passed, she realized this made Arthur less valuable, and soon he was on the market again.

Arthur would keep going in and out of relationships, and though Sue Ellen and Francine did care who they ended up with, they decided to care more about themselves instead. They eventually found boyfriends and kept them, and they improved themselves as high school continued and came to its inevitable end.

 _Timejump: Twenty-Five Year Reunion_

Still life-long friends, Sue Ellen and Francine entered the high school reunion together. Years had passed, and while contact was lost with many classmates, these girls had stuck together. Despite their efforts, both were single women with good jobs. Judging by the crowd, most of their classmates were in similar boats, including Arthur Read.

And though he was still on the market, and though both women were in their prime, they let Operation: A.R.T.H.U.R. slip through their fingers. He was someone else's problem now, but they'd never forget the ultimate crush they'd had on him and how it shaped them into the women they ultimately became.

~End


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